Category: Books

After reading “The Opportunist”and realising that “Dirty Red” was Leah’s story, I had zero interest in continuing with this series.I could never forgive Caleb or Olivia for both of their deceptions and Leah was my least favourite story so I had no desire to learn any more about her.However after reading about two pages of this and after completing “Verity”, I NEEDED another flawed, bordering-on-psychotic female to follow. So I picked this up again and it did not disappoint.Leah finally has her marriage to Caleb as well as a beautiful baby. Sure, he might seem to care more for the crying brat than he does for her. But he is away from Olivia and that is what matters. Or does it?Olivia may be out of their lives physically but she is still a part of Caleb’s mental space. As Leah and Caleb struggle with their marriage and their differing opinions on parenthood, there might still be space for Olivia to wriggle her way back in anyway.By the end of this book, I had a reluctant understanding and sympathy for Leah. She is a flawed woman who loved a guy who did not love her back. Yes, she is a bitch. But this novel shows that this bitch does have a heart.This was a well-written read that I could not put down and I enjoyed it immensely. I have never read a book, let alone a series, about so many flawed characters and this change was good.Definitely pick this up.

Louise receives a Facebook invitation from her childhood classmate Maria Weston. But Maria Weston is dead. Or atleast that is what everyone else thinks.Maria and Louise were the closest of friends back in high school before Louise abandoned her to join the popular crowd.Louise is well-aware of what happened the last night Mara was seen. Louise is part of the group that played an awful prank on Maria before she died. But there was no body found. Could Maria actually be alive?As Louise starts to gets creepy messages from Maria’s Facebook account she is more and more convinced that Maria might be back and looking for revenge.This was am intriguing read that I devoured in one sitting. There were countless plot twists which I enjoyed immensely. If you are looking for an unpredictable read, I strongly suggest this one.

2019 looks to be a great year in books with several of my favourite authors releasing new reads. Here are the books I am most excited for:

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo- I devoured the “Grishaverse” books as well as the “Six of Crows” series. It has been too long since I read a book set in this universe and I CANNOT WAIT for this book to release.

Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas- I love anything by Lisa Kleypas especially if it is historical. Interested in historical romance? You can read a snippet of “Devil’s Daughter” here.

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus- “One of Us is Lying” was one of my favourite mysteries of all-time so I cannot wait to read this.

Again But Better by Christine Riccio- Book vlogger Christine Riccio releases her debut novel and if it is even a fraction as funny as she is, we are all in for a treat.

Finale by Stephanie Garber- Stephanie Garber’s “Caraval” series will finally come to an end with “Finale”. Personally while I have enjoyed this series, I cannot wait. I have questions that I need answered about Dante and his past.

The Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton- Picking up from the cliffhanger ending where most of my favourite characters (and one character I absolutely detested) were on the run, a resistance is building up. I love books about a team of people resisting the usual order. There is just something about people getting together to fight and overthrow the usual social order that makes me feel warm and cozy.

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh- Renee Ahdieh tackles vampires in New Orleans in this novel and I am SO HERE FOR IT! I adore Renee Ahdieh’s writing and world-building so I just know that this is going to be a great read.

Queen of Ruin by Tracy Banghart- “Grace and Fury” was impossible to put down and I cannot wait to see how the story continues in this next book.

Lowen Ashleigh and Jeremy Crawford meet at the site of a horrific accident. The two of them connect over this unfortunate event as well the tragedies that have struck them in their lives.
Jeremy hires Lowen to ghost-write a series that his now injured wife cannot complete. Lowen, who is unable to turn down the money due to her financial struggles, agrees and moves in to the Crawford home.
Lowen’s plan is simply- sort through Verity Crawford’s notes and get out as soon as possible. However she stumbles across a chilling autobiography written by Verity. This story paints a very different picture of who Verity is as well as the day her daughter died.
As Jeremy and Lowen grow closer, she considers whether or not to tell him the truth. Jeremy may be devoted to his wife but surely that would change once he finds out who she really is.
This was a creepy read that I devoured in one setting. “Verity” is well-written with an intriguing plot. I could not read fast enough and was left speechless at the end. I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a memorable read.

Yeva longs for the freedom of the forests. So when her father loses all of his money and the family is forced to move to an old hunting cabin, Yeva is secretly relieved.
She spends her days hunting food for her family while her father tries to track down a mysterious beast that he believes is watching them.
When Yeva’s father goes missing, she goes after him determined to capture the beast herself.
This was a really intriguing read that I finished in a matter of hours. I was unable to put this down and enjoyed this book thoroughly!
My only issue was that it fell a bit flat towards the ending. The last bits of this book was not really believable however I enjoyed that Yeva was not an ordinary “Beauty”. She is a skilled hunter and this is demonstrated throughout the book. I also enjoyed the stories and myths of the forests.
This is a great read for anyone who enjoys fairytale retellings.

Told in two (very confusing) timelines, “Monday’s Not Coming” follows the story of Monday and her best friend, Claudia.
Claudia returns from a vacation worried about Monday since she has not replied to any of Claudia’s letters. Claudia gets even more worried when Monday does not show up for school. Monday ALWAYS shows up for school.
No one seems to notice or even care that Monday is not around any more. Monday’s family are being evasive about her location, the teachers assume that she was pulled out of school but no one is investigating where she is. No one besides Claudia. However as Claudia tries to locate her best friend, she is warned away by Monday’s family members who all start to act very suspicious. They all say that Monday is not coming. But where IS Monday???
This was a well-written read that I enjoyed. The timelines were confusing and seemed to make no sense until the very end of the book.
*SPOILER*I thought that the plot twist at the end was overdone *END SPOILER* but this was an amazing read that simply cemented Tiffany D. Jackson as one of my new favourite authors.
Definitely give this a try if you are looking for a book that will draw you in and not let go.

I cannot believe that it took me so many years and so many attempts to finally finish this book. I enjoyed it immensely and cannot wait for the next book in the series.
“Heir of Fire” follows Celaena as she travels to a new land in an attempt to figure out precisely what the King is plannng. Instead she is given a task- she can have an answer to all of her questions if she unleases her Fae side and her full Fae potential.
Meanwhile Chaol and Dorian are both mourning over Celaena’s departure and they are barely speaking. Chaol does not want to involved himself in magic while Dorian is finding it increasingly difficult to hold back his magic. It isn’t long before both of them are forced to choose a side in the upcoming war.
This was a really intriguing read and I could not get enough. “Heir of Fire” introduces new characters, new plotlines and new worlds. It was well-written with great world-building and I cannot wait to finish this series! If you haven’t started this series yet and you’re a fan of fantasy books, definitely give this a go!

1) Anything by Cal Newport- if you haven’t noticed already, I’m a bit obsessed with Cal Newport’s books. He makes college so much easier with his advice. While reading his books I saw my grades pick up instantly.

2) Leave Your Mark by Aliza Licht- this book is described as a “mentorship” and I cannot agree more. Aliza Licht has great advice. This is a book that you need to have highlighted or stick in post-its. From internships to starting a job, this book has it all.

3) All Work, No Pay by Lauren Berger – this book is an invaluable asset to anyone looking for an internship. Personally I found this book to be excellent help when dealing with cover letters and resumes.

4) Leadership and Soft Skills for Students by Cary Green- I like to think of this book as a how-to guide to success. Cary Green presents real solutions that work. I’m not going to lie- I believe in this book because several of the points covered here are things I believe in for my daily life. College students and high school students will both greatly benefit from this book.

I love fantasy novels. They allow me to escape the real world for an hour or two without having to leave the comfort of my bed (which IMO is the best kind of travelling). Here are seven of my top fantasy authors:

Sarah J Maas- Sarah J Maas is my QUEEN! I don’t even care about her “Throne of Glass” series but I am so very obsessed with the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series that I believe she should be mentioned first on this list. If you haven’t read ACOTAR yet go and get it. I promise it will be worth your while.

Rachel Morgan- Rachel Morgan’s “Creepy Hollow” series has the same incredible world-building and crazy plot twists that you can find in a Sarah J Maas novel. Also, she’s South African so if you order her books directly from her you can get them SIGNED!

Renee Ahdieh- I’ve only read “The Wrath and the Dawn” duology but I loved it so very much. I think Renee Ahdieh has beautiful writing and incredible world-building. Also the guy is TWATD is super-hot.

Marissa Meyer- Marissa Meyer writes compelling adaptations for the stories that we know and love. Two of my favourites are The Lunar Chronicles series (a steampunk-ish kind of fantasy) and Heartless (a story about the terrifying Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland).

Melissa Delport- Melissa Delport is another local author. I am utterly in love with the vampire, Drake from her Guardians of Summerfield series (I fall in love with alot of fictional characters if you didn’t already know that).

Richelle Mead- Vampire Academy was one of my all-time favourite vampire series and that makes Richelle Mead one of my all-time favourite authors

J.K Rowling- Because I will love Harry Potter. Always

Who are some of your favourite fantasy authors? Let me know in a comment.

Lily has had a crush on Luke for years. Sure he’s almost twice her age and has seen her in diapers but no relationship is perfect and lots of girls get involved with older guys.
Here’s the thing, once upon a time I was a young girl with a crush on a much older guy. So I didn’t expect this novel to go down the way that it did.
When Luke returns from a visit to Africa, Lily is overjoyed. She is especially excited when she learns that Luke will be staying with her family. And when it appears that Luke might return her feelings, Lily is ecstatic.
Then he kisses her. Repeatedly.
Everyone who knows about Lily’s crush finds it harmless. However Lily’s friends are disturbed that a twenty-year-old would get involved with a fourteen-year-old. So Lily hides her new relationship from them.
But it isn’t long before kissing moves on to something more and Lily does not want more. She also does not want to lose Luke.
I read this book in one sitting and practically flew through the pages. I have never read a novel in verse before but I really enjoyed this one. This book had me heartbroken, horrified and in tears. It was an amazing rollercoaster of emotions which I loved immensely.
Definitely read this book.